Oasis
by Yellowverse
Summary: Romance was definitely not on the cards when Alec Lightwood when he visited his cousins in Australia for the summer holidays, but then it really does prove the land has a strange power over people. Malec.
1. Land Down Under

**A/N: So, the inspiration for this story came when I was walking to school, thinking about how much easier the walk would be if I could ride. And then my imagination ran away with me and this story born.**

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><p><em>o·a·sis<em>

_noun_ /ōˈāsis/  
>oases, plural<p>

A fertile spot in a desert where water is found

A pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult, troubled, or hectic place or situation

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><p>Alec Lightwood was horribly jet-lagged and hopelessly lost. Lugging two heavy suitcases behind him, he walked around Brisbane International, swearing he had already walked past that cheesy gift shop with the tiny stuffed koalas holding miniature flags with the Union Jack stamped in one corner and the Southern Cross in the other three times.<p>

This was not how he was planning on spending his winter… Sorry, summer holidays. Everything was backward in Australia and Alec couldn't make any sense of it. And now he was completely and utterly lost in an airport that wasn't even _that _big, and if he missed his flight, he would be spending the rest of his holidays frolicking in Brisbane until he can get another flight to Longreach. _And_ Alec added mentally _there aren't exactly a lot of people dying to get out to Longreach_. The place was in the middle of nowhere. He could barely find it on the map, even.

Alec sighed. He was going to miss his flight. He walked up to one of the airport security guards, who were sitting there eating a burger. Alec surprised he didn't have a beer in his hand. 'Excuse me?' He said, in his slight British accent.

'G'day' the man said, dropping his burger on the seat next to him and shaking Alec's hand vigorously 'And what can I help you with today?'

Alec consulted his ticket to Longreach before answering 'I need to find gate 24'

'Gate 24?' The man said, taking Alec's ticket from his hand and examining it 'Longreach, aye? Won't be needing that there, mate' he said, gesturing at Alec's jacket.

'What?' Alec said, feeling dread in his stomach. He had read that Queensland was known for its perfect weather, beaches and beauty. He told the man that.

He laughed a big rumbling belly laugh. Alec pinked, slightly miffed. He was yet to get used to people laughing all the time. 'Yeah, sure mate. You'll read a lot of things about Queensland. When it's not flooding, raining, so hot you leave the house in your togs, or on fire, the weather is perfect. And in Longreach, you won't need a jacket. You've arrived in December, the heat of summer is just getting started' He winked, pointing in the distance to a large corridor. 'Gate twenty four is just down that way. And good luck, sounds like you'll need it. Why on earth is a pommy like you headed to Longreach anyway?'

Alec was surprised at the invasion of privacy, but the man seemed innocently and genuinely curious. He sighed. 'I'm spending the summer with family. They live on a farm some way out of Longreach'

The man nodded. 'Good luck mate, you'll need it' He repeated.

Alec had tried not to let his conversation with the man get to him. Sure, he was nervous about visiting his cousin Isabelle, who lived on a farm with his aunt and uncle in Australia. His parents probably just wanted to get rid of him, deciding to send him to Australia for the Australian summer holidays. He was going to miss out on some school back in England, but his parents thought that living and working on a farm would be a good learning experience for him. 'You'll experience a whole different type of life, Alec!' His mum had implored him. Alec wasn't totally opposed to staying in Queensland for his holidays, even though the nearest city of Brisbane was approximately one thousand, one hundred and seventy kilometers away. Alec had worked out the distance in case the lack of civilisation got to him and he had to walk back to the city (which would take one hundred and eighteen hours)

At least he wouldn't be totally at a loss in Longreach. With any luck he could spend the whole summer riding. Riding was the one thing he loved to do most. He wasn't sure what it was, the partnership of a rider and horse, the exhilaration of a high speed gallop, or the precision and accuracy needed to perform a high-octane dressage test. Alec had done it all back in England and dominated his region's show circuit. He knew his aunt and uncle owned plenty of horses, but his downfall would be that none of them where trained for English riding_. It would suck if I don't get to do any jumping or dressage while I'm here…_ _Oh well_ Alec thought as he scanned his ticket for boarding onto his plane to Longreach _How hard can learning a new style of riding be?_

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><p>The plane was small, with the red and white kangaroo on the tail. Alec's seat was at the back on the plane, and there weren't many people on the plane. There was a family of four with two screaming children, and a shaggy looking blonde man dressed in khaki. Alec took his seat and fastened his seat belt as the plastic-looking woman in the Qantas air-hostess uniform gave a robotic demonstration.<p>

Once the plane was safely in the air, Alec took out his pamphlets on Longreach that his aunt had sent him from Australia. There were actually things to do in Longreach. He read that the plane company he was flying with originated in Longreach, and it was one of the only places in the world to view completely preserved dinosaur tracks. It was also home to the famous Stockman's Hall of Fame, where the best and bravest of Australian stockmen where honoured for their ability. _Wow_ Alec thought, as he stuffed the pamphlets back into his carry-on bag _that sure would be a lot of fun- if I was five years old._

The plane ride lasted only a few hours. Alec had arrived in Longreach airport, which had more passing similarity to a train station, and had managed to feel even more tired and jet lagged than before. His uncle Robert was going to meet him at the arrivals lounge, and drive him out to the property, which was over six hundred and five acres of cattle fields and barren land. At least Alec knew they had a couple of arenas out the back and a stable where they kept their horses. He knew that his cousin Isabelle was a keen rider also, and competed in barrel racing. She had sent him pictures of her champion racer, and Alec couldn't wait to meet the gorgeous liver chestnut he had seen in her email.

'Alec! Over here!' Alec turned to see his uncle waving him over with his akubra. He was wearing worn in blue jeans and a red-flannel t shirt, and spoke with a typical 'Aussie bloke' accent. 'How are you doing, Alec?' Uncle Robert said as he took Alec's suitcase out of his hands.

Alec nodded in return 'Fine- pretty jetlagged' he said, trying to indicate he was not in a good mood. Uncle Robert seemed to have unconsciously catch on, because he was fairly silent while taking Alec to his ute, after informing him that the car trip would take about thirty minutes and he should use that time to catch some shut-eye before his cousins bombard him.

Alec looked interestedly out the window as they drove through town. Although everything was small and extremely red (From the soil, Alec had guessed) the people he had seen bustling about town seemed happy and content. They all walked around with purpose, as If everyone was only in town for their specific reasons, not to just stay around and chat with each other. And most of all, everyone just seemed so… Cheerful.

Soon the red buildings turned to red soil, as they drove out of town. Alec began to drift to sleep as the land turned more and more barren, only waking to view some Kangaroos hopping in their path.

After about half an hour's drive, Uncle Robert pulled the ute up at rusty gate. He got out, slipping his akubra onto his head. He slipped the latch off the gate, and pulled it wide open enough for the ute to fit through. He walked back to the car, noticing Alec had stirred awake. 'It's about a four kilometer drive from the gate' he said as he drove the ute slowly the gate. He stopped the ute about two meters from inside the gate and opened the door to get out.

'Wait' Alec said 'Your house is four kilometers from your front gate?'

'Welcome to Australia' Uncle Robert said, winking and slamming the door.

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><p>Soon, the house began to appear in the distance. It was very large and classically white, with a navy tiled roof. It was two stories, with a small granny flat about a hundred meters from the main house. There were quite a few trees around, and what Alec assumed was his Aunty Maryse's garden patch of an assortment of flowers Alec didn't recognise.<p>

As they neared the homestead, Alec could see the three arenas that they had on their property, along with the barn. He thought he could see a figure in one of the arenas, and he squinted his eyes, trying to get a clearer view.

It was a man, sitting atop a gorgeous blood bay stock horse. He was loping around the arena, looking gloriously relaxed in the saddle, like he had been born to ride horses. When the ute drove slowly past the arena, the man gently slowed his horse to a walk and offered a wave to Uncle Robert, who waved cheerily back.

'That's Magnus Bane, one of our junior jackaroos. He's working around the farm for the summer holidays but is quite the experienced horseman and will be working with the horses for the remainder of his time here'

Alec stared at the rider's relaxed seat and the casual way he held the reins in one hand. _I don't think I could ever ride like that, _Alec thought. In dressage he had been taught to operate as a team, with Alec giving the subtle, smooth directions and his partner, his thoroughbred gelding Danley Park Galileo (Or Gal for short) following them with the upmost precision. This rider rode like he was taking a Sunday stroll, his happy mare looking just as relaxed.

The car pulled up at the side of the house in a cloud of red dust. As soon as the ute's engine spluttered to a stop, the door to the beautiful house burst open, a girl with long hair as black as Alec's catapulted out of it. She ran down the stairs and yanked the door of the ute on Alec's side open. Two dogs, a blue cattle dog and a border collie raced after her, dancing at her heels as she beamed at Alec before throwing her arms around him.

'Alec! I've missed you so much!' She shouted, squeezing Alec tight. Alec laughed, putting his arms as best he could around the girl while his seatbelt was still buckled. 'Alright Isabelle, let him breathe' Uncle Robert said, appearing behind her. She let go of Alec, grinning sheepishly.

'It's good to see you too, Isabelle' Alec said as he unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. The two dogs pranced and barked at his feet. Isabelle grinned, grabbing their collars to stop them jumping on Alec's jeans. 'This is Rabbit' she said, indicating with the blue collar of the Border collie 'And this is Neo. Max named him after Neo from _The Matrix' _Alec laughed. It was so like Isabelle's nerdish younger brother to name a dog after a sci-fi movie character. Isabelle had told Alec that Max's horse (who, like most of the Lightwood horses, had been raised from birth) was named Chewbacca.

'ALEC!' Max appeared now, in the same manner as Isabelle did. He had thick brown hair that stuck up in tuffs and large glasses. Unlike Isabelle, he stopped short and stared up at Alec with adoring eyes. Alec's aunt Maryse quickly followed, a warm smile on her face

'Welcome, Alec! Everyone, come in for afternoon tea'

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><p>They sat around the kitchen table, eating biscuits and drinking lemonade. 'It's far too hot for tea' Maryse had said, before setting down large jugs of icy cold fresh homemade lemonade. Alec had to agree. He had already stripped down to just his t-shirt and was wishing that he had worn shorts instead of jeans.<p>

They discussed England for a bit, Alec unsuccessfully trying to push down and hide his feelings of homesickness. Finally, Isabelle stood up suddenly, and slapped her hands down on the table. 'I'm sure Alec doesn't to talk about England' she turned to Alec 'Want to try out the horses?'

Maryse tutted 'Now Alec's had a long trip and he's probably jetlagged, I don't think now's the best time-'

'No' Alec interjected 'I'd love to'

Alec had quickly raced upstairs to his beautiful spacious room with the king sized bed, and changed into his jeans and boots. He had brought jodhpurs, but he didn't think that people in the Outback wore jodhpurs. He guessed right when he saw Isabelle walking in the hall in a similar pair of jeans and boots, however her boots where just regular boots with a small heel, and his were low-cut English riding boots.

They walked down to the set of arenas that the Lightwoods had near their house. 'Dad had these built for us. I practise barrel racing in here, and they are a good place for Max to ride in an enclosed space. None of our paddocks are small enough for Max to ride in, except for our holding pen, but Dad wants to keep that clear, and our corral which is too small, and we normally use it for lunging'

They approached the arena were the man was still riding the bay mare. Flecks of sweat covered both horse and rider as they attempted a series of reining moves that Alec didn't recognise. 'That's Magnus' Isabelle said 'He likes to work on reining in his spare time with his horse, Ace. Isn't she gorgeous?' Alec had to agree, the mare certainly was beautiful. Alec wasn't familiar with the conformation of the Australian Stock Horse but this horse was beautiful by any standards. She had a graceful, clean head which was carried by a beautiful, arched, following neck. Her back had a perfect curve to it and her legs where fine but looked very strong. Her tail was thick and flowing, and was well off the ground although it hadn't been trimmed properly like Alec would trim Gal's tail to. Someone had been taking brilliant care of this horse, and Alec guessed it was the boy that was her rider. He slowed the mare to a walk, and then halted near the fence. Slipping his feet out of the stirrup irons, he swung his leg over her rump and gracefully sprung to the ground. 'Hey Magnus' Isabelle greeted him as he took the horse's reins from over her head. 'Hi Isabelle… Who's your friend?'

'This is my cousin, Alec. He's staying with us for the summer holidays'

Magnus slipped off his akubra, revealing a long mass of black hair. He smoothed the hair back before offering his hand to Alec 'Well, hello Alec. Welcome to Australia'

Alec gripped his hand 'How do you know I'm not Australian?'

'You are far too pale'

Isabelle giggled. Alec flushed, slightly annoyed. _So shoot me, I'm not freakishly tanned like the rest of you._

Magnus dropped Alec's hand, and slipped his akubra back on. 'You ride, Alec?'

Alec glowered 'Do you breathe?'

Magnus laughed, as if Alec's annoyance was of great personal amusement to him. 'Alright, want a go?'

'Huh?'

'Let's see what you got' Magnus offered him the reins 'You can ride Ace. Don't you worry, she's a real sweetheart'

Without a backward glance, Alec swung his leg through the fence of the arena, then the rest of his body. He was just about to mount, when he felt something was wrong. He turned to Magnus. 'Have you got a helmet?' he enquired, not wanting to ride without one.

Magnus laughed, and then quickly stifled it as Alec glared at him. 'Uhm, no. But here, have this' Magnus took off his akubra and handed it to Alec 'It's a magical akubra. It'll stop you from falling off. Oh wait, good riding should do the trick, too'

Alec scowled as Isabelle and Magnus laughed good-naturedly. He lifted up his left leg and placed it into the stirrup, swinging himself into the saddle. He gathered up his reins, Ace bucking her head slightly at the loss of freedom. He was just getting into proper position when he felt something blocking him. It was the two knee pads of the stock saddle, forcing him to sit deep in the saddle. Alec adjusted his position to fit the saddle. It felt more secure and relaxed but security wasn't exactly something Alec needed in a saddle, he was more comfortable on the back on a horse then he is on his own two feet. Alec frowned slightly, and with a smart tap of his heels, they were off.

Ace had already been warmed up, so after half a circuit, Alec made a small tap and she started in a bouncy, uneven trot. Alec frowned, trying to get into Ace's groove, but he wasn't feeling it. She tossed her head, her trot becoming short and choppy. 'Give her her head' Magnus called from where he was sitting with Isabelle on top of the arena fence. Alec scowled but followed Magnus' advice, loosening his grip on the reins slightly. Ace immediately relaxed, her strides becoming longer and more even. The stock saddle inhibited Alec from rising the trot, but he became comfortable with sitting the gait. After a couple of circuits of trotting, Alec was ready to ask for the canter. He tightened his reins, and on the next turn his outside leg slid behind the girth and he tapped Ace. She broke into the a fast canter, and Alec forgot to sit back and ride it as she threw her head up and cantered down the long stretch of arena with her reins held tightly by Alec and her head high in the air, the knee pads of the stock saddle digging into his thighs.

'Woah!' Magnus called from the fence, and Ace instantly slowed. Alec pulled Ace to a walk, and he moved her over to where Magnus and Isabelle were sitting.

'What?' Alec said, irritably.

Magnus wasted no time in correcting Alec's mistakes 'You gotta stop controlling Ace, and start working with her. Riding is a team effort, especially out here, where sometimes the horse is right. Sometimes the horse best knows where to go, where to step, if something is safe or not. It's very important if you're riding out in the bush to always listen to your horse, instead of just telling them every little thing what to do. Loosen up in the saddle, sit deep, keep a relaxed hold on the reins, and go with it'

Alec was smarting from this little speech. He had always prided himself on being an expert rider and didn't like being talked to like he was a beginner. And this coming from a rider who didn't even wear a helmet! Even an experienced rider can fall and injure themselves very badly, everyone knew this. Alec had certainly heard enough horror stories of bad falls to never not wear a helmet for the rest of his life. Instead of telling Magnus what he thought of him, he just said 'Do you guys have an English trained horse?'

Magnus and Isabelle smiled at each other. 'You're in luck' Isabelle said as Magnus jumped off the fence, and disappeared into the barn. Five minutes later, he reappeared, leading with him in an English bridle, a stunningly beautiful black gelding and carrying an English saddle and saddle pad. Isabelle held the reins of the gelding while Magnus quickly tacked up the rest of the horse, and Alec wanted to leap over the fence and hug that glorious English saddle.

Dismounting Ace, Alec patted her neck 'Sorry, girl' he whispered before handing her reins to Magnus, who handed him the reins of the black gelding. 'That's Maryse's horse, Henry. That's his barn name, his show name is much longer' _Thank you, I had gathered that much information on my own_ Alec thought bitterly as he mounted Henry.

The horse instantly felt better to him. He seemed so much more… Attentive. Ace had been responsive and attentive too, but Henry seemed more ready to follow any command. Alec tapped the horse into action, and after a couple of circuits of warm up walking, Alec asked for the trot.

Finally, a comfortable rising trot! Alec changed leads a couple of times, before asking for the canter. Henry's canter was wonderful and rocking, and Alec felt very relaxed, and hoped it was a huge contrast to his abilities then what he displayed on Ace.

He could hear Magnus and Isabelle talking on their fence, so Alec thought _let's impress these mofos_.

Alec slowed Henry to a trot, hoping that he had some basic dressage training. There were no letters on the arena, so Alec had to improvise. Once they reached where B should be placed, Alec sat deep in the saddle and signalled for leg yielding, and to his joy, Henry responded.

Alec could still hear that Magnus and Isabelle weren't very impressed, so he continued for the trot and started to signal for Henry to perform a shoulder-in. _Okay, someone has trained this horse_, Alec thought as Henry followed his commands seamlessly.

Finally, Alec decided to ask for a half-pass. Tapping Henry into a canter, he began to signal a half-pass, and the horse complied, half-passing across the whole arena. Magnus and Isabelle burst into applause as Alec paused in the center of the arena with a very square halt, and dipped his head with a hand salute as if he were in a real dressage test. He dismounted, and led Henry over to where Isabelle and Magnus where on the fence.

'That was awesome, Alec! You're great at dressage!' Isabelle gushed. Alec smiled, not wanting to mention that they were fairly simple moves.

Magnus didn't look as impressed. 'Yeah, that was pretty good, but that's not going to help you much out here'

Alec scowled. _This Magnus is such a downer_ he thought as he stared at Magnus, who was staring into the distance as if he was thinking very deeply about something

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><p><strong>AN: There you go! The plotline for this (as all my stories) is shaping and is actually turning out to be a lot more elaborate then I first anticipated xD And if anyone is curious, I'm a English trained rider since I was a young'in (I think eight or nine) I am also a Queensland girl, have lived in rural Queensland for a couple of years (although now I live in one of the cities) and I've been to Longreach and it's beautiful. Also, if you are unfamiliar with any of the terms used, feel free to ask me (Or Google it xD) and I'll post a glossary for all to read**

**Please review, it's lovely to write all about my home, horses, and TMI all at the same time, and I hope you enjoy it to**

**P.S Qantas and Longreach Tourism, you're welcome for the free advertising. **


	2. Vegemite

**A/N: So I was suspicious of it, and you guys confirmed it in your lovely and helpful reviews that Alec was a bit more snobby then I intended for him to be in that first chapter. This Alec is a bit snobby, but his attitude from the first chapter also from feeling really vulnerable and exposed, and Magnus kind of put him on the spot a bit there ;) They clearly love each other! ;)**

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><p><strong><em>Oasis <em>**

_Chapter Two_

_'Vegemite'_

Alec woke ridiculously early to the sunlight pouring through his bedroom window. 'Damn' he muttered, pulling his pillow over his head. _I forgot to shut the blinds last night _he thought, mentally kicking himself. _And why do those birds insist on fucking chirping so much?_

Once Alec was awake, there was nothing he could do but get up. He had slept in only his boxers, due to the temperature being so hot even at night. Pulling a plain white t-shirt over his head, he looked briefly in the mirror that hung on the wall of his bedroom, except he was too tired to even be shocked at the birds nest residing on his head.

He shuffled slowly down the hall, his goal being the staircase that led to the lower level, which led to the kitchen, which meant food.

Alec walked into the kitchen, while trying to smooth his hair into something that stuck to his scalp. To his surprise, someone already sat at the kitchen table, eating a pile of toast.

Alec's eyes widened. 'Don't you have a home?' He spluttered, and Magnus looked up in surprise. 'Yes' he said, as if talking to a small child 'In town. But I live here during the week, and go home on weekends. I stay in the granny flat' he said, indicating to behind him. Alec had seen the flat on his way in.

'Why?' Alec said, mystified. 'Well' Magnus said patronisingly 'My parents don't want to have to drive me half an hour out of town every day at five am, do they?'

'Oh' Alec mumbled, and sat down at the table suddenly. He was so tired. 'Want cereal?' Magnus asked.

Alec nodded shortly. 'Well, get it yourself. I'm a jackaroo, not a house maid. Cereal's in the cupboard' Magnus said, a grin spreading on his face.

'Whatever. Cereal sounds far more appealing then whatever you're eating' Alec said, indicating to the strange brown paste that was lathered over Magnus' breakfast.

Magnus feigned hurt 'Alec! This' he said, holding up his plate 'Is Vegemite. Every Australian kid was raised on this stuff, no joke. You should try it, it's delicious' he said, holding up a piece for Alec to try. Alec took it, and bit into it gingerly, not knowing what to expect.

He spat it out instantly, bits of toast flying all over the table. Magnus screwed up his face 'That's gross' he said, staring at the bits of spit-ladled toast that plastered the table. Alec ignored him.

'What was that? It tasted like… rat poison!' Alec howled, bolting to the sink, and turned on the tap, rinsing out his mouth one, two, three, four times, yet still the revolting taste wouldn't quit.

Magnus was in hysterics. 'I wasn't expecting a reaction that bad!' He said, wiping away tears of laughter. He held up the jar of Vegemite that was sitting next to his plate. 'Vegemite. It's yeast extract, and a bit of an acquired taste' he said, trying to hide his smile as Alec turned to glare at him.

'Sorry' Magnus laughed 'I've always wanted to try that to a foreigner!'

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><p>Alec had nothing planned for the rest of the day. There was something extremely relaxing about this property that the Lightwoods owned, and Alec thought he was going to have plenty of lazy days ahead of him. He had also agreed to help Uncle Robert out on any farm work that needed to be done, however at Uncle Robert's confirmation there was nothing for him to do that day. And what Alec really wanted to do was check out their horses.<p>

He walked around to where their barn was. To Alec's surprise, most of the horses where inside. The barn was huge, with about twenty large stalls, and a huge hay loft accessible by ladder. There was also a tack room and a separate feed room. Alec walked through, feeling some relief from the heat. He ducked his head into each stall, to see which horses where there. He saw Henry, and Ace, Magnus' mare. _So he's around the homestead somewhere_ Alec thought. He finally got to rest eyes on Isabelle's barrel racer, the stunning liver chestnut. The horse delved his head around Alec's pockets, searching for a treat. Alec had none, forgetting to bring any with him. He read that the horse's barn name was Owl. He scratched Owl's ear. 'Aren't you gorgeous?' he murmured, and he meant it. The Lightwoods certainly had a beautiful set of horses.

Suddenly, Alec could hear muffled murmurs. Someone else was in the barn. He went investigating, wondering who was with what horse. He passed a couple of horses, until the muffling grew louder and he could almost make out words. He peeked around the wall of the stall, and saw him.

Magnus was in there, talking softly to a _stunning_ buckskin filly. She had her head lowered softly as Magnus gently ran a brush through her shiny coat on her neck, his other hand running down the supple muscle that resided there. He gently turned her head towards him to brush gently down her face and smiled. Like, really _smiled_. The smile absolutely lit up Magnus' face, and Alec had never seen him so open and happy. He looked so natural, standing there next to the gorgeous filly, which was still quite leggy and Alec guessed she couldn't have been more than two years old. _Was Magnus training her_?

Suddenly, Alec heard shuffling in the filly's bedding and he quickly dived into the next empty stall as Magnus walked out, carrying a grooming kit. Alec sat down in the bedding of the empty stall, thinking hard.

_I wonder if Magnus can ever be as open with humans as he is with horses._

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><p>That night at dinner, the Lightwoods and Magnus, who had agreed to join them for dinner, sat around the table, eating the delicious juicy steak and lush garden salad Maryse had lovingly prepared for them all.<p>

Robert was discussing the beef market when Alec decided he was going to ask about the buckskin filly.

'Today I was in the barn and I saw a gorgeous buckskin-'

'That's my filly' Magnus cut him off sharply. The rest of the family stared at Magnus oddly. 'I mean,' he said, trying to explain 'She's mine. I raised her, and now I'm training her. Her name's Oasis'

Robert nodded enthusiastically 'Magnus is a wonder here with the horses, Alec. If he wasn't such a skilled jackaroo I'd still keep him around just to work with our horses'

Maryse smiled 'But from what we hear, you aren't so shabby yourself, Alec. Tell us about your achievements back home'

So Alec explained his competition circuit to the table, his achievements in eventing, his horse Galileo, and his work with the pony club, which he was a senior member of. 'I've never trained a horse by myself' he said, his eyes shifting to Magnus, who was picking at his dinner. 'But I've helped train plenty of horses. My trainer back home thinks it's a good learning experience'

Maryse clapped her hands together 'That's perfect!' she said, her eyes shining with an epiphany 'You should help Magnus train Oasis!'

Both Magnus and Alec gaped 'What?' They said, in perfect unison.

Robert nodded his head 'No, that's a brilliant idea! Magnus and Alec can train Oasis together! Alec, it'll give you something to achieve over the remainder of your time here, and Magnus, the combined force of both your knowledge and experience should create something wonderful out of Oasis'

'Yeah! Maybe they could both get her ready in time to show her in-hand at the Longreach Summer Festival!' Isabelle chimed in.

Magnus and Alec locked eyes over the table, and they had a conversation without moving their mouths.

_This is a bad idea._

_I'm pretty sure you hate me_

_We can't train a horse together_

_We barely get along_

_How could we possibly do this?_

Alec could feel everyone's eyes at the table on him, so he smiled weakly.

'I guess we are training a horse together'

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><p><em>So now, Alec and Magnus have the impossible task of training the beautiful filly Oasis, while trying not to go at each other's throats. Alec, who can't stand how Magnus constantly has a go at him, and his relaxed, laid-back approach to everything and Magnus, who thinks Alec's way too uptight and needs to loosen the reins a little. Literally. <em>

**A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is so miniature. It's a filler chapter, setting up the plot for the next few hundred chapters. Also, the Longreach Summer Festival doesn't exist. Although it would be pretty cool if it did. **


	3. Calm Before The Storm

**A/N: Just a quick disclaimer, if you're not familiar with the use of a whip in English riding. The word 'whip' is often associated negatively, especially in horse riding, however it is not cruel. We do not 'whip' the horses, we tap them, very lightly, I could tap your arm with the whip as lightly as I would with a horse and it wouldn't hurt. The dressage whip or riding crop, or the lunge whip, just serves us as an extra aid, for unresponsive horses. In this chapter, Magnus favours voice aids over leg aids or whip aids, and Alec prefers leg and whip aids. That's just personal preference. Neither is more 'right' or 'wrong'. It's how you and the horse have been trained. **

**Hope that clears it up!**

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><p>Magnus stood in the center of the arena, his hands holding a navy blue, well-worn lead rope. Attached to the lead rope was Oasis, her rope halter tied loosely. Her head was dipped, and she looked very relaxed. Magnus was pleased. He didn't want her being stressed in her first collaborative training session with both Magnus and Alec. In the past the filly had only had Magnus, and they were very much attuned to each other. Magnus was worried that with Alec and his current relationship they wouldn't resonate well as a team. <em>Oh well<em>, Magnus thought as he saw Alec walking towards the arena from the house. _I guess I'm up for the challenge._

'You're late' Magnus said shortly as Alec ducked deftly under the wooden fence. Alec visibly rolled his eyes as he straightened up 'Good to see you too' he replied, strolling over to where Magnus stood with Oasis.

'Alright, let's get something straight' Magnus said seriously, turning to face Alec as the other boy stroked Oasis' nose in greeting. 'You may be helping me train my filly, but don't forget she is _my filly_, and what I say goes' Alec feigned hurt 'You mean I have no input whatsoever? You know, I might have some valuable information to share with you' He said, turning to square off with Magnus, glaring at him.

Magnus frowned, crossing his arms with the lead rope tucked in. 'Alec, you'll be helping me train her for six weeks. I'll be riding and working with her for _the rest of her life_. I would like her to be trained in a way that resonates with _me_'

'You're not as open-minded as you think you are, Magnus. Whatever you might think, I still have something to offer, and not to accept this opportunity to learn something new from me is just plain ignorance' Alec retorted, suddenly sounding serious.

Magnus looked genuinely furious, sighing exasperatingly before cruelly saying 'I'm pretty sure when it comes to horses, there is nothing you can show me'

Alec flushed angrily. 'Fine' he said, and turned on his heel, stalking out of the arena.

Magnus' conscience suddenly decided to pick on him, and he suddenly felt extremely bad for saying that. He knew next to nothing of Alec's experience back in England, and it wasn't right for him to make a judgement like that about him. 'Alec! Wait!' He called after him, clucking to Oasis softly and leading her towards Alec's retreating back. 'Alec!'

Alec turned around only to give Magnus an extremely sarcastic rude hand gesture involving his middle finger, before walking off again.

'I'm sorry!' Magnus called out again. It worked. Alec turned slowly on the spot, his face still flushed red. 'You're what?'

'I'm… sorry' Magnus said, slowly exhaling. 'You're right. It would just be ignorance to pass up this opportunity to learn from you. Will you please help me train Oasis?'

Alec sighed. The truth was, he really did want to work with Oasis. But he had pride, and he didn't want Magnus belittling him at every opportunity.

Magnus stared beseechingly. 'Please Alec. We can do this'

Alec raised his eyebrows. 'Together?'

'Together'

In a rare moment of harmony between them, they smiled at each other.

'Don't flick the whip at her!'

The rare moment of harmony between them had vanished quickly once they had set up Oasis to be lunged. Alec wanted to use the gentle flick of the whip to tell her to move up a gait, and Magnus preferred using voice aids. 'Woah' Magnus called, and Oasis slowed to a walk, then a halt when Magnus called it. He turned to face Alec, who looked indignant. 'Voice aids are the way to go'

'We are still in charge. Whip is more efficient when training her'

'But I want to work _with_ her, not against her'

'This isn't working against her, its reminding her we are still in charge. That's why we lunge her. She's got to be listening to _us_'

'She is listening to us. Our voices'

'Voice aids aren't always accurate'

'They are if you do them right'

'If we don't need the whip, then why did you bring it out with you when you got the lunging tack?'

They were both silent for a bit, as if each other had given the other something to think about. Then Alec spoke up.

'She's a beautiful mover, isn't she?'

They both nodded wholeheartedly in agreement.

That was something they both could agree on. Oasis truly did move well. Her gaits where even and smooth, something that was desirable in a horse. Alec thought she would have been fantastic in dressage, her gaits where so excellent. They spent a the next half an hour putting her through her paces, occasionally arguing about voice aids vs. leg and whip aids, but mostly admiring the beautiful filly they had before them.

'Alright' Magnus said, slowing the filly to a warm-down walk. 'I think it's time to call it a day. She's been doing so well, considering your insanity'

'My insanity? You're the one who talks to horses like they can talk back' Alec said without thinking. _Crap!_ He thought frantically, blushing a deep red. _Now he knows I was spying on him._

Magnus just smiled sadly as he loosened the lunging equipment off Oasis' back, like he was remembering a long-lost memory. 'Alec, horses do talk back, you just have to listen to them' and without another word, he walked off, leading the filly behind him.

Alec didn't know what to say. Before he could however, Magnus turned around. 'Oh, and Alec? I've tried the whole controlling-your-horse-and-never-listening-thing. And I can tell you, voice aids are better. And, that shoulder-in you showed us? It was uneven'

_What… the… hell?_ Alec thought as Magnus led Oasis away. _Who gave him the right to judge my dressage? _Then it slowly dawned on him _How would he know if my shoulder-in was uneven or not? I thought he had been doing the jackaroo thing his entire life. _It then occurred to Alec he didn't know anything about his so-called training partner. How was this guy meant to be more experienced than him? What gave him the right to criticise everything he did?

_It's time to do some digging on Magnus Bane._

Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise caused both Alec and a retreating Magnus and Oasis to look up. The Ute pulled up into the drive way of the homestead, rolling to a stop. Uncle Robert opened the door and got out, the two dogs Rabbit and Neo following, tumbling after him barking and prancing. 'Magnus!' Uncle Robert called, catching Magnus' attention.

'We need to get ready. Johnno predicted it's going to be a big one' Uncle Robert said, looking up cloudless, flawless, harsh blue sky. Magnus nodded. 'Alright Robert, I'll bring all the horses inside'

'Alright good, I'll get the kids helping too' It was just then that Uncle Robert seemed to notice Alec's presence. 'Hey Alec. You can help us get ready too' and with that, he disappeared, heading to the homestead.

Alec was mystified. 'What on earth? Get ready for what?'

Magnus laughed. 'Alec, you are about to get your first taste of typical Queensland summer weather. It's time to get prepared for a storm'

'How could a storm possibly be on the way? There isn't a single cloud in the sky' Alec stared up at the blue sky for clarification. He was right; the sky was completely blue, shedding a maximum amount of harsh light over the barren land.

'You'll see'

Alec soon learned that there was an entire ritual involved in getting a house ready for a storm. He and Magnus where out in the field, catching the horses and bringing them into the stable. He could see Isabelle in her jeans and boots, picking up various discarded toys, farm equipment and other random objects that have accumulated over the summer and bringing them into the large shed that sat in the vicinity just outside the homestead. Max was also in the yard surrounding the house, picking up debris from around the house and placing it into a quickly-growing pile.

Alec was starting to get suspicious. 'Just how bad is a storm here?' he called to Magnus, as he fastened a lead rope to a gentle grey gelding, who nudged him with his soft velvet nose.

'Pretty wild' Magnus laughed, as he walked past Alec, leading two bay mares. When he turned around to see Alec's concerned expression, he laughed. 'Don't worry mate, you won't die. But it can get pretty hectic so we want to make sure that everything is tied down, and clean so to minimise damage and mess in the morning. Tomorrow we'll ride out and check the cattle and the fences to make sure everything is still in place'

Alec looked up to where Robert and couple jackaroos and a jillaroo where standing. Robert was on the roof, vigorously cleaning the gutters of any debris and mess, to prepare for an influx of water. He could also see Maryse at the kitchen table through the window, preparing a radio, with a torch, a first aid kit, a mobile phone, a set of candles, and packets of extra batteries spread out on the table.

When the last horse was in the stable, Magnus waved goodbye to Alec. 'I'll see you tonight. I have to go get my stuff from the granny flat'

'What do you mean?' Alec asked.

'I stay in the main house on storm nights, don't want me getting separated in an emergency out there, do we?' Magnus laughed before casually stuffing his hands in his pockets, and turning towards the granny flat.

'Hey Max- Woah!' Alec ducked his head into Max's room, where the kid was sitting on his bed, his head buried in a book. Max looked up, saw Alec's shocked expression, and giggled. 'I know' he said laughing.

Every inch of Max's walls where covered in posters- Alec recognised _Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Star Trek, Star Wars, Firefly_ and _Fringe_ posters alone, along with hundreds of others from series he didn't recognise. Max's desk was stacked high with manga novels. Alec didn't read manga, but he was familiar with the art after doing a unit on it in his art class back in England a few years ago. There were also tiny action figurines lining his shelves. Alec had never seen so much nerd-dom in one room.

'So you like _Doctor Who_?' Alec asked, indicating to the posters lining his walls.

Max's face lit up 'I love it!' he gushed, pushing his large glasses up the bridge of his nose. 'My favourite doctor is the fourth one' he said, smiling brightly.

Alec smiled back. 'Oh yes, Tom Baker is good, but David Tennant will always be my favourite'

'I love David Tennant! He's my second favourite' Max said quickly. Alec laughed- He was slowly getting used to Australians laughing all the time, even joining in. When he first came, he thought they were laughing at him- but he was realising that they were always laughing with him.

'Max, does your family have a computer I could borrow?' Alec asked tentatively. He had a Google search he had to get to- He had to get rid of this gut feeling he has in his stomach.

Max nodded. 'You can borrow my laptop- it's on my desk. Just put it back once you are finished!' he said cheerfully, before diving back into his book. Alec picked up the laptop, seeing it had Spiderman stickers pasted all over it.

Alec walked quickly out of Max's room and into his own, which was at the end of the hall. He was paranoid by nature and he didn't want anyone asking him what he was doing. Closing the door to his room gently, he sat down on his bed and booted up the laptop. While it was loading, he glanced out the window- and gasped in shock.

Somehow in the space of about half an hour, great storm clouds had gathered in the distance. They looked very dark and extremely menacing. Alec suddenly felt nervous. He hoped this storm wouldn't be too violent.

With a short _blip_, the computer came to life. Alec powered up Google Chrome, ready to make his search. When the Google Homepage appeared, Alec typed in the letters slowly, as if he was dreading the answers it might bring him.

_M-A-G-N-U-S B-A-N-E_

Alec selected the 'pages from Australia' option. He didn't think there would be much on Magnus on an international level. The search result opened up- revealing several pages about a clothing brand, a Wikipedia page on a topic Alec had no idea about, and finally… Magnus was mentioned. Alec stared at the website URL, which said it was the Queensland Equestrian Federation. There was also what looked like several news articles from various publishing companies- Alec opened each one up in separate tabs.

The first page that opened up was a page with the title 'Young Champion's Profile'. By this point, Alec was absolutely burning with curiosity. He scrolled down, reading the words written there, his jaw dropping open.

_Name: Magnus Bane_

_Age: Fourteen (At time of Career)_

_Born: 24__th__ of September 1993_

_Status: Retired_

_Horse: Just A Boy_

_Length of Career: 2004-2008 (Four years on the competition circuit)_

_Competed in: Show jumping, dressage_

Alec stared in shock at the following list of Magnus' achievements. He was State Champion three years in a row in both dressage and show jumping! He had competed on a national level. Three years ago, Magnus was at the top of his game. The best of the best. He had the ribbons to prove it! He had achievements in English riding discipline that Alec could only dream of. He _was_ an expert. Alec suddenly felt incredibly humbled. Magnus did know what he was talking about. He had every right to judge his shoulder-in; he could probably do it a hundred times better. Which led Alec only to more questions. Why did Magnus throw away all of this? The article said he dropped out of the State Championships just a day before he could compete in the show jumping finals, which would earn him his fourth consecutive state win, and earning him a spot on the National team. Who could walk away from all of that?

A knock on his door caused Alec to slam the laptop lid shut in panic. Magnus' head popped around the door. 'Hey Alec' he said, not bothering to enter the room properly. 'Come and see this!'

'See what?' Alec said irritably. He was embarrassed at nearly being caught.

'Just come and see' Magnus said with a wink, and he disappeared again. Sighing, Alec quickly deleted his search on Max's laptop and shoved it off his lap. He left his room and began wandering through the house, wondering where Magnus had got to.

'Out here' He could hear Magnus call… From the veranda? Alec followed the sound of his voice until he found Magnus standing on the back veranda, looking up at the sky. Alec walked out onto the veranda, shutting the door behind him to keep out the flies. It was dusk. 'What is it?' Alec said, joining Magnus at the railing of the veranda. 'Look' Magnus said dreamily, like he was captured by the beauty of it all.

Alec looked up at the sky. He supposed if you looked hard you could see the beauty of the great, angry, black storm clouds. Lightning flashed ominously from within the depths, the thunder rumbling, as if it where building up to something big. 'That's amazing' Alec said finally, and he meant it. He had never seen anything like it.

Magnus nodded. 'It really is' he said, smiling, as if he was truly proud to see the sight before him. Suddenly, a fat drop of water landed right in between them, on the railing. It splattered, sending miniature droplets of water cascading down. It was like it was in slow motion. Magnus' face suddenly changed from happy to serious in a matter of milliseconds, grabbing Alec's arm and yanking him back, throwing the door open and shoving Alec inside, slamming the door behind them. 'Just in time' Magnus breathed, as if adrenaline was pumping through his body. Alec was irritated and shocked by Magnus' reaction. 'What do you mea-'

His sentence was cut off by the roar of sudden rainfall. Alec stared at the veranda where he and Magnus stood, it instantly looking more like a swimming pool than an Al Fresco dining option. 'And this-' Magnus said, grabbing Alec's shoulders and turning him to face the storm '- Is why we prepare for a storm'

The wind roared through the house, and Alec thought the house was actually shaking. The rain was brutally heavy, and the lightning impossibly bright, and the thunder so loud you think a bomb went off. 'That's… incredible' Alec said, staring in wonder at the spectacle. 'Are you sure the roof is not going to come off?' Alec shouted over the roaring rain and wind.

'Trust me, it won't. But the power will go off any-' Suddenly, as if on cue, every single light in the house went out. 'Every time' Magnus grumbled, as he stomped off in the direction of the kitchen to get candles, Alec blindly stumbling after him.

Alec groaned, as the light shined into his room. Again. _I forgot to shut the blinds. _Alec rubbed his mouth, agitated. There was something dangling on his face, tickling his lips, cheeks and nose. Finally Alec shot up in bed, to see Magnus standing at the end of it. He was dressed in jeans and a navy button shirt, which was open to reveal a white singlet underneath. In his hands was a ginormous stock whip, which he had been dangling in Alec's mouth. 'You are disgusting' Alec accused, as he swung himself out of bed, stretching like a cat.

Magnus slowly grinned, the smile spreading all over his face like a mischievous child. Alec wondered what on earth he was smiling about, as they stood squared off facing each other. Alec followed Magnus' eyes trailing down to…. _Oh_

Alec turned visibly red as Magnus' grin nearly split his face in half. 'Well, _good morning _to you too. Breakfast is served, see you downstairs' He said, barely keeping a straight face as he walked out of the room. Alec fumed. _The guy is so infuriating_! Alec thought as he pulled on some jeans to cover his teddy bear boxers. His mum gave them to him, okay!

Alec walked downstairs to the kitchen, and was shocked at the spread Maryse had prepared for them all. Magnus, Robert and several of the other jackaroos and jillaroos who worked on the property were all busy tucking in to bacon and eggs, steak, hash browns, sausages and a huge bowl of salad. 'This is breakfast or dinner?' Alec asked as he sat down to dinner.

The surrounding stock men and women laughed. 'No, but this is pretty standard on a working day to have a large breakfast- We are going to be working really hard today' Robert said, taking a large bite into a steak sandwich.

'Me too?' Alec asked. He had been looking forward to riding out on the open, barren plains of the property, thinking it would be quite the adventure. He had never ridden in an environment like that before.

'Yeah' it was Magnus who answered 'You and me aren't going far, so we'll be riding. The others will be going by truck and they might be a couple of days, depending on how much damage the storm did'

That was right, the storm. The events of last night where coming back to Alec.

_Alec placed the final candle down on the coffee table in the living room, the room lit dimly. He could vaguely see Magnus in the corner, adjusting the position of the candle he just placed. Alec breathed. It was the perfect opportunity to ask Magnus about his career. The guy should be really proud of it! There should be no reason why he wouldn't want to talk about it? Right?_

'_So Magnus' Alec said, straightening up. 'Hmm' Magnus said, as if he was barely listening. His back was still turned to Alec._

'_Have you lived in Longreach long?' Alec said. He was hoping to bring up his question, if he could get the conversation going in that direction._

'_Sort of. I used to live in Brisbane, but my parents wanted a quieter lifestyle, so we moved here. That was when I was fifteen, two years ago' Magnus answered the question with innocence, so he didn't suspect Alec's motives._

_The wind howled and the rain pounded the roof, as Alec contemplated this. It was surprising, although Alec was expecting this answer. So Magnus had only been out here two years, but he displayed the confidence of someone who had been out here his whole life. _

'_What was it like it Brisbane? Did you do much?' Alec said, hoping the question was subtle enough. Magnus turned around, staring at Alec in confusion. '… Normal' he said, as if Alec was asking a stupid question._

_Alec sighed. He didn't really expect Magnus to open up to him, so he figured that the only way to do it was blunt._

'_Did you do much horse riding up there?'_

_Magnus coloured, but he maintained composure. 'A little' he said stiffly, before abruptly turning around._

_Alec tried to get other answers out of him, but Magnus made it clear in his body language that he didn't want to talk about it. Alec was puzzled- He wondered what made Magnus so closed off._

'_Anyway, you're in my bedroom, get out of it' Magnus said suddenly, flicking his hands at Alec to indicate he should leave. Alec rolled his eyes at the sudden reappearance of Magnus' trademark douche bag attitude, but he left it, and went to his room. He slept well that night, to the sounds of frenetic and torrential rain._

Alec stood near the barn, holding in his hands a heavy backpack. In Alec's pack, he had the first aid kit and half the food, and he knew Magnus had the other half. Alec was waiting for Magnus to come out with Ace, and the stockhorse that Alec would be riding for the remainder of his trip. He was nervous- He wanted to work well with this horse, seeing as it would be carrying him across the precarious Australian landscape. Alec made a mental note to follow the advice Magnus gave him on his first day- relax, sit deep, and give the horse his head.

Magnus walked out, leading Ace, and a chestnut gelding with a thick blaze down his face. The horse had three socks, and had stock tack on his sleek back. 'This is Amos- play nice, he's a good horse' Alec nodded, too nervous to make a snarky reply as he swung into the saddle. Magnus mounted too, and just before they were ready to set off, Magnus stopped them. 'Wait' he said, pulling the backpack off his back, unzipping it and pulling out an akubra. He reached across the empty space between their horses and handed it to him.

'That's yours- Magical akubra. It'll stop you falling off'

Alec laughed as he gathered his reins, placing the akubra deep on his head. If only his trainer could see him now- He would laugh at Alec, but Alec felt proud, for some reason. With the nod of approval from Magnus, they kicked their horses into action.

They rode for about twenty minutes, leaving the homestead in the distance. Alec was slowly learning Amos' patterns and gaits, and he found the ride to be pleasurable. Magnus seemed to be focusing on the direction they were going in, so conversation was slow, if not non-existent.

After ten more minutes of riding, at a walk-trot-walk-trot continuous pattern, Magnus finally spoke, turning his head to look at Alec. 'Look- the ground is really flat here, do you want to gallop?' he said, the mischievous grin returning.

Alec wasn't so sure. Of course he had done plenty of free gallops before, but there was something so desolate and open and empty about this place that made him feel unsure.

Magnus picked up on Alec's hesitation, because he spoke again 'don't worry, if your horse bolts, there's a fence eventually'

'That's helpful'

'No I mean it. We're actually quite close, that's why I suggested it' they were both halted now, staring at each other. 'Come on' Magnus said imploringly. 'How many times in life do you get to do a gallop like this? Live a little'

Alec suddenly felt a sense of adventure. Gathering up his reins, with a quick wink at Magnus, he dug his heels into Amos' side. The horse instantly caught on Alec's playful mood, and like a rocket out of a cannon, they sped off. Alec could hear Magnus swearing and laughing in the background, and he heard Magnus clicking to Ace, knowing soon Magnus would catch up to him.

Amos was galloping tirelessly. Alec absolutely loved it. The wind was blowing through his hair, and all he could hear was the 1-2-3-4 beat of the gallop and Magnus' laughter, but it felt like the loudest, happiest moment in the world. Alec had never felt so free in his life. There was nothing stopping him, nothing. All that was there were endless ground, sky and Magnus. He was absolutely soaring. Alec had never felt more alive in that moment.

Magnus suddenly appeared beside him, Ace keeping pace with Amos easily. Alec turned to see Magnus' face, and he had never seen something so lovely. Magnus looked truly ecstatic, his yellow eyes crinkled up in the largest, most genuine smile. He was laughing and whooping joyfully. He turned to look at Alec, and Alec suddenly felt his heart skip a beat. _Woah…_

Suddenly, Amos' gallop became more erratic. Alec instantly stopped taking in Magnus' face, and tightened his reins. Amos sped up, tossing his head and grunting as his rhythmic gallop turned into nothing more than a high-speed, panicked run. He sped past Magnus, called out to Alec, although the wind in Alec's ears meant that Magnus' shouts where nothing more than muffled whispers.

Suddenly, Alec felt his legs ride up Amos' sides. He tried to sit the gallop in order to get Amos to calm down, but the horse was too far gone to pay attention to Alec. Suddenly, the horse pig-rooted, and Alec was thrown from the saddle, landing with a scream and a heavy thud on the hard dusty earth.

The shock of suddenly losing his rider seemed to have calmed Amos down, as the horse slowed to a halt and wheeled around, finally standing still and nibbling at the grass that grew in tuffs, as if nothing happened. Magnus was still approaching, screaming 'ALEC!' frantically, as he galloped over, leaping off Ace still at a canter. Ace cantered to the side, and stood there patiently as Magnus ran to Alec's limp body.

Magnus pulled the pack off Alec's back, relived to see that Alec didn't appear to have any wounds. He pulled Alec's head into his lap, shaking and tapping his head, trying desperately to get Alec to come around. Magnus never felt more fear in that moment. This was entirely his fault; he forced Alec to do it-

'Mhmm…?'

'_Alec'_ breathed Magnus, relief washing over him. He helped Alec sit up, holding him around the shoulders firmly.

'Magnus?'

'Yeah?'

'Your akubras suck'

Magnus laughed, feeling for the first time affection towards this snobby British boy.

Alec and Magnus sat for a little while longer, while Alec calmed down. He was very lucky not to have concussion, nor any broken bones from what looked like a very hard fall. 'What made him bolt?' Alec asked, as he sipped on his Mount Franklin. 'I think I was riding too close, he might have panicked. I don't understand why though, he's normally very calm…' Magnus trailed off at Alec's crestfallen look. 'Oh no. You were nervous, weren't you?'

Alec nodded. 'Yeah. Stupid, I know'

'No' Magnus said quickly. Alec sent him a strange look. 'Oh' Magnus reiterated, 'I just mean, it would have been scary, the land in quite open out here…'

Alec thought for a moment. 'Where you scared on your first gallop out here?'

Magnus stopped. He stared at Alec with hard eyes, the cool demeanour sliding over him like opaque glass. The image you saw through the glass was distorted, and not was truly hiding inside. Alec sighed. He promised to crack Magnus' shell one day.

Magnus stood up, offering Alec a hand. 'Are you ready to go?' Magnus said, glancing over to where the two horses where ground tied. 'I think Amos is ready to apologise'

Alec laughed- Magnus was truly a dork sometimes.

They set out again, taking it slowly. Finally Alec managed to convince Magnus that he really was okay, and Magnus moved the pace to a slow trot. This slow pace meant it was another half an hour until they reached the fence.

'Is this the edge of the property?' Alec asked as they both dismounted. 'No' Magnus replied. 'This is the fence of the paddock closest to the homestead'

Alec inwardly gasped. He was finally getting used to the sheer size of the Lightwood property.

Alec and Magnus spent the rest of the day checking fences. Although some of the fences needed minor repairs, most had survived the assault from the night before. The most damage done to the fences was from a completely unrelated incident.

'Bloody kangaroos' Magnus said as he peered to investigate the mangled fence. Alec knelt beside him. 'Kangaroos did this?' he asked. The damage was quite significant.

'Yeah. Bloody pests they are out here. They destroy fences all over the shop'

It took a while to fix the fence broken by the kangaroos, but Magnus had brought all the necessary tools with him to get the job done. Finally, they were fine to head home. 'It's Friday' Magnus said, as they mounted their horses to go home. 'I go home for the weekend tonight'

They turned their horses around. 'Oh…' Alec said, not sure where to go with that. 'Do you want me to continue working with Oasis while you're gone?'

Magnus swallowed, as if saying what he wanted to say was going to be difficult. 'Yes' he finally admitted. 'I would like it if you continued to work with her till I get back'

Alec had a smile on his face as they rounded for home. He had finally earned some of Magnus' trust. He genuinely hoped that one day; he could earn all of it.

* * *

><p><strong>Next time: An exciting event is being prepared for with only a week till Christmas. <strong>

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to write, busy, busy, busy life. *Sigh* Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. The moral of this story is: ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET! Although, Alec didn't wear a helmet in this chapter, he couldn't injure himself too badly because the story wouldn't go far if he is comatose for the rest of the fic. Please review, it helps


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